Burt Lancaster won his only Oscar for his 1960 performance as the wide-smiling, glad-handing, soul-saving charlatan Elmer Gantry, a salesman who turns his gift for preaching into a career behind the pulpit. Climbing aboard the barnstorming evangelical tour of revivalist Sister Sharon Falconer (Jean Simmons), a true believer (in the Aimee Semple McPherson mold), Gantry declaims, invokes, and sermonizes his way to the top until Lulu Bains (Oscar-winner Shirley Jones), a former flame turned prostitute, threatens to reveal his dark past as a womanizer and a con-man. Lancaster harnesses all of his physical vigor and natural charisma for this role, literally throwing himself into his preaching with the sinuous quality of an acrobat and the sing-song delivery of a gospel singer—even braying like a hound to illustrate the Holy Spirit within him. Gantry is a showman, pure and simple, and while he doesn't fool Sister Sharon, he does give her a few object lessons on playing the crowd. Director Richard Brooks, who also took home an Oscar for his screenplay (adapted from the novel by Sinclair Lewis), creates a rousing drama and provides fine roles for an excellent supporting cast that includes Arthur Kennedy, Dean Jagger, John McIntire, and singer Patti Page. Previously available on DVD, Elmer Gantry has been remastered for DVD and a Blu-ray debut. Extras include an interview with Jones. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)
Elmer Gantry
Kino Lorber, 146 min., not rated, DVD: $19.95, Blu-ray: $29.95 Volume 30, Issue 1
Elmer Gantry
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